Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Fimmerred’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Fimmerred’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; small to medium-size decorative-type inflorescences with dark red purple-colored ray florets; mid season-flowering habit; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIMMERRED’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant,botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as agarden Chrysanthemum plant and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Fimmerred’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new mid season-floweringgarden Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made inJanuary, 2010 by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom of aproprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as codenumber 82970, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as codenumber 83261, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newChrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fareham,Hampshire, United Kingdom in September, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminalvegetative cuttings was first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, UnitedKingdom in December, 2010. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetativecuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemumplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under allpossible combinations of environmental conditions and culturalpractices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fimmerred’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fimmerred’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemumplant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Small to medium-size decorative-type inflorescences with dark        red purple-colored ray florets.    -   5. Mid season-flowering habit; grown under natural season        conditions, plants flower in mid to late September in the United        Kingdom.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants ofthe female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Grown under natural season conditions, plants of the new        Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of the female parent        selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants ofthe male parent selection, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Grown under natural season conditions, plants of the new        Chrysanthemum flower later than plants of the male parent        selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent        selection have pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants ofChrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yotabitha’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.16,110. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fareham, Hampshire,United Kingdom, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of‘Yotabitha’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more mounding than and        not as upright as plants of ‘Yotabitha’.    -   2. Grown under natural season conditions, plants of the new        Chrysanthemum flowered later than plants of ‘Yotabitha’.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had slightly smaller        inflorescences than plants of ‘Yotabitha’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Chrysanthemum plant.

The photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Fimmerred’ grown in a 19-cm container during the summer in aglass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands. Plants were grownunder short day/long night conditions to induce inflorescence initiationand development. Plants were 3.5 months old when the photograph wastaken.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations and measurements describe plants grown duringthe winter in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Fareham,Hampshire, United Kingdom and under cultural practices typical ofcommercial garden Chrysanthemum production. During the production of theplants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. andlight levels averaged 6,000 lux. Plants were grown under long day/shortnight conditions for six weeks and then grown under short day/long nightconditions to induce inflorescence initiation and development. Plantswere twelve weeks old when the detailed description was taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fimmerred’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 82970,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 83261,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type garden            Chrysanthemum; stems upright to outwardly spreading giving a            uniformly mounded appearance to the plant; numerous lateral            branches and relatively short internodes, dense and full            plant habit; compact to moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 22 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about ten lateral            branches develop after removal of terminal apex (pinching).        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 9 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Internode length: About 6 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:            About 45° from vertical. Texture: Fine pubescence. Color:            Close to 195A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 3 cm.        -   Shape.—Palmately-lobed; roughly ovate with three to five            lobes.        -   Apex.—Broadly acuminate to mucronate.        -   Base.—Attenuate to truncate.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes            divergent; slightly dentate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Fine pubescence; slightly rough.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Fine pubescence; veins prominent.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C; venation,            close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 147C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper surface: Fine pubescence; slightly rough.            Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence. Color, upper            surface: Close to 138B. Color, lower surface: Close to 138C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Decorative-type inflorescence form            with ligulate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne on            terminals above and beyond the foliar plane; disc and ray            florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; freely            flowering habit with about 63 inflorescences developing per            plant.        -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.        -   Flowering response.—Mid season-flowering habit, plants            exposed to natural season conditions begin flowering in mid            to late September in the United Kingdom.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about three to five weeks on the plant;            inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About            4 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 138A.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 1 cm.        -   Receptacles.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 147D.        -   Ray florets.—Orientation: Initially upright, then about 40°            from vertical. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 6 mm.            Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Rounded or emarginate. Base: Fused            into a short tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per            inflorescence: About 100 arranged in about five whorls.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 187B. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 183B. Fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 59A; color becoming closer to 187C with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 181A;            color becoming closer to 184A with development.        -   Disc florets.—Disc floret development has not been observed            on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 22            arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 6 mm. Width:            About 3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            waxy. Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence; waxy. Color,            upper surface: Close to 146B. Color, lower surface: Close to            146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 3 cm. Diameter,            terminal peduncle: About 1 mm. Angle: About 40° from            vertical. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture:            Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 138B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:            Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma            color: Close to 12A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color:            Close to 160C. Ovary color: Close to 157B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been            observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new    Chrysanthemum.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have    demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures    from about 0° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named‘Fimmerred’ as illustrated and described.